The Castle of Shades
by FailingRain
Summary: With the school festival behind him, Negi decides to take a chance to relax only to be confronted by a mysterious figure who demands that Negi accompany him to meet his master. Will Negi's temporary peace be shattered? M for violence and curisng


**Introduction:**This is a Negima Fan Fiction that is more centered around action. There is very little comedy, and there will be the use of foul language as well as fairly graphic violence. For these reasons I have given the story a mature rating, and will warn you ahead of time that this story is not likely to a light hearted read. Any reveiws you make are appreciated, and i do expect to receive some flames, so go ahead and let it out should you wish.  
**Disclaimer:** I do not own the original Negima cast, but the other characters that are not part of the original cast are my creations and if you would like to use them please get my permission.

-!-Introduction and Association-!-

With his head and back resting at the base of a tree in one of the many court yards of Mahora, Negi let a deep sigh as Chamo moved onto his lap. "The Mahora Festival is finally over," said Negi with a sigh. "It's been two weeks now, but everything's starting to come back to normal."

The small rodent nodded his head, "There were some times I never thought we'd make it." Then, after a moment Chamo added, "But now Negi's Merry Men has been even further reinforced."

Negi let out another sigh, "Chamo-kun, we can't keep involving everyone in these fights. It's too dangerous and I can't involve my students any further than they already are."

As Chamo began to speak up against Negi, there was the sound of a twig snapping that averted both Negi's and Chamo's attention to the figure that had approached them without being noticed.

"Are you Negi Springfield?" the figure asked in a low voice through the mask on it's face. Negi looked over at him. On his face was a mask resembling a demon's face with black shades in the eye holes, so that when gazed at you could only see your own reflection. His body was cloaked in a long black robe, with a large, dried splatter of blood on the right side of the cloak. "My master wishes to have a word with you."

Instinctively reacting to the view of the bloodstained figure before him Negi grabbed his staff and began chanting a spell. "Raskel Mas-" but he was too slow. In one swift motion the figure drew a long curved blade off of his back and with the blunt end crashed Negi against the tree. There was a loud crack, and as the figure pulled back his blade, some of the dried blood rubbed off onto Negi's shirt.

"I will not kill you," said the cloaked figure. "However, if you refuse to come along quietly, I am not adverse to severing a leg or two." The man's voice was without sorrow, care, sympathy, or any emotion at all. It was cold and the words resonated with Negi as he felt the killing intent coming from the man, proving that he meant what he said.

Crawling up Negi's shoulder, as Negi stood hunched over clutching his chest where the strike had landed, Chamo whispered, "This doesn't look good Aniki. Let's just go along with him for the time being."

Slowly, Negi stood up. "What do you want with me?"

Holding his sword out so that the red bandages could rewrap the blood stained blade, the figure replied, "My only order is to take you to my master. I have nothing else to say to you."

Negi looked back over at the school and thought of all of his students. If he fought here, especially with someone like this man, they would all be dragged into the conflict. Also, this man wasn't like the other enemies that he had fought before. Negi could feel it seeping from every pore of the man's body, that he had the intent to kill, that he had a complete disregard for human life.

"I'll come quietly," said Negi. He took a step and felt the pain from his likely broken rib. The man had struck through all of his magical barriers with an unbelievable speed, and if he wasn't even the master, Negi began to worry about what sort of monster awaited him.

The man, seeing that Negi had decided to cooperate turned around and began walking, saying nothing but, "Follow me." Negi began to walk right behind the man, and began to feel a little sick looking at the back of the figure he was following.

The man's hair was slicked back in the back of his head and it was matted with dried blood. The long curved blade that was on the man's back was covered in red bandages and the blood that had been on his blade had leaked onto his back. No matter how Negi looked at the man, he couldn't help but feel that he was following a serial killer.

Negi continued following the man in silence, afraid to speak up, while Chamo rested on his shoulder as if attempting to think up some sort of plan. They walked on in silence, until day turned to night. Hunger and thirst began to plague Negi, but the man never took a break, just simply kept walking straight ahead through the forests and fields. Finally the moon had risen and fallen, and a new day had broken through the sky when the man finally came to a halt in a small woodland area. "This will be far enough." The man turned around to face Negi who looked worried, "Please leave your familiar here. My master does not wish to have uninvited guests."

Negi looked down at Chamo who began arguing, "You can't just take Aniki with you, you have to take me too! We're a team after all, a te-" Chamo was cut short by the man drawing his blade and pointing it directly at Chamo's head.

"If you wish to come with us, I will oblige your wish and bring your dead body with us."

Crumpling beneath the threat, Chamo got down from Negi's shoulder. "I'll leave here." Looking up at Negi, he tried to give him an expression that told him he would get help, but Negi was shaking and too terrified of what was going on to notice. "You better take good care of Aniki!"

The man turned around and said, "Follow." With that he began walking away, and Negi continued following as Chamo only looked on helpless as Negi walked further and further away.

The two continued to walk on throughout the day, not once stopping. The hunger and thirst was beginning to get to Negi, as the man in front of him continued to walk forward, never stopping, never slowing down, never speeding up. The pain in Negi's chest didn't go away, in fact as he walked on it only got worse.

Finally, when the moon was high in the sky, the cloaked figure stopped, and then in turn Negi stopped. They were in a clearing that was in the middle of a forest. There were four single trees in the clearing that created a diamond around the two. The man in the cloak touched the trunk of all four trees in turn, which lit up the runes on the trees and began the spell.

From the base of the trees darkness flooded out and began engulfing the two figures inside. Negi began to panic as the darkness slowly seeped up his skin and as it took over his legs he found himself unable to move them. Crying for help, finally realizing the position he was in, the darkness finally enveloped his mouth, silencing his cries, and then in turn his eyes, temporarily blinding him and sending him into a fitful slumber.

The flaring pain in his chest was the first indicator to Negi that he was alive, as he began to feel other elements. The floor he was on was cold, nearly freezing, along with the air in the room. The smell was horrible, and the only thing that Negi's mind could link to the smell before he opened his eyes was the idea of rotting bodies. Slowly opening his eyes to see the giant hall he was in, Negi slowly made an effort to stand up.

As he looked down to the far end of the hall, the cloaked figured was standing behind what looked like a throne. There was a man in the throne, or as Negi thought, a giant. Seeing his guest had awaken, the man stood up revealing his truly gigantic size. The man towered above Negi as he approached him. Clad in a red robe with silver lining and with a long grey beard, the giant of a man boomed in a loud voice, "Welcome to you, young Mr. Springfield."

Negi still looked terrified, as the giant approached him, and began to take a step backwards. Feeling around at his back, he felt his wand and grabbed it in his hand. The giant laughed a boomingly laugh, "Now, now, you're the guest of honor today, Negi, we can't have you fighting." Waving his hand, he said, "After all, you came all the way here in order to avoid fighting, didn't you?"

Clutching his staff tightly, Negi said, "Who are you and why did you bring me here?" Negi pulled his staff close to his chest, as it was the sole comfort he had in this large stone hall.

"You get right to the point, don't you?" the man said as he walked over and sat down at a table in the side of the hall. "Have a seat and I'll answer your questions." A little reluctantly, Negi walked over to the seat and sat across from the man who was easily twice his height. "As for who I am, my name is Lupin Kaizen. That, over there," Lupin motioned towards the cloak figure, "is Kael.

"As for why I've brought you here, the reason is quite simple. You are my bait." As the man spoke he smiled smugly and looked down at Negi.

"Bait?" asked Negi.

"Yes, bait. You see, I have been trying to find a certain someone, but I've had no luck at all. I need his help in my research, the help of the one revered as the most powerful mage in the world, the Thousand Master."

Surprised, Negi asked, "What research do you need the Thousand Master's help with? And why do you think he would come if I'm here?"

Lupin smiled lightly at Negi as he went to balance his head on his right hand with his right elbow on the table. "I see you don't know much about me, Mr. Springfield. Such a shame, since I am a rather big fan of yours and the Thousand Masters. To explain in a way that you might understand, have you ever heard of magic that can bring the dead back to life?"

Negi's face went pale at the thought. It was one of the most forbidden magical arts to practice, or research, "Necromancy…"

"Correct. I have been studying Necromancy for years now, only to run into problem after problem, and finally realizing that I needed a mage at least the caliber of the Thousand Master in order to continue my research." Lupin sighed and shook his head, "These garden variety civilians and mages no longer possess enough knowledge and magic to continue aiding me in my research."

His face still pale, Negi clutched his staff tighter. He began to worry, looking around at the walls realizing that he had no idea even where he was at the moment. Lupin stood up from his chair, "Well, Mr. Springfield, I did not mean to alarm you so much, and do not worry. You are the guest of honor, so I do not have any plans to perform any experiments on you … yet." Negi watched as Lupin walked back to his throne. He was petrified and had no idea what to do. For the moment he was safe, and if he called for help it would likely only create more trouble, but for how long could he count on his safety?

Lupin waved his hand at Kael and said, "Kael, please show Mr. Springfield to his room. Oh, and do change clothes, I believe you're scaring the guest." With a bow the masked man began walking over to Negi. "Once he is in his room, fix Mr. Springfield something to eat, I'm sure that he's hungry. Also, if he should need something or require my presence I will be in lab seven. I'm nearly on the verge of finishing the golem, so unless it is something urgent, please do not disturb my work." There was another bow from the cloaked figure before he turned to Negi.

"Follow." Negi once again followed the cloaked figure as he lead him through twisting halls, past many doors until he finally opened one. Negi walked into the room, but it was nothing like what he had expected. There was a large bed, a table, a bookcase with some books on it, and a chair with a lamp. "This is your room."

As he wondered inside the room, Negi looked around. He had expected to be keep in some sort of cell, but instead he felt like he was staying in some sort of hotel. The door shut and locked after he walked in. On the other side of the door, Kael said, "I will bring food and bandages in twenty minutes."

Negi nodded and began to look around the room. There were two doors in the room other than the one that he came in. Opening the first door he found a closet that had several robes that looked to be Negi's size inside. Negi spent several minutes taking out the robes and examining them, only to find that there was nothing wrong with them. They were just regular robes.

Deciding that he should see what was behind the other door, Negi opened the door and after a moment, let out a screech. The door to the room opened and Kael entered carrying the promised food and bandages. "Is something wrong?"

Negi looked back with a pale white face, "T-There's a … body … in the bathtub …" stammering for a moment, Negi added, "and … lots … lots … of blood."

Putting down the food, Kael walked over to the bathroom. There was a corpse of a dead man in the bathtub. The wrists were sliced and his stomach was cut open. Scribbled on the mirror in blood was his final message:

"_I've gone to find god in this world_

_Because I've found the devil"_

Walking over to the bathtub, Kael put his hand on the side of the dead man's face. Moving the head to the side, he read the number on the neck, "1196". After a moment he picked up the body and hoisted it over his shoulder. The blood was still fresh and it dripped off of the body as Kael began carrying it out of the room.

Watching the blood in the tub drain away, Negi doubled over and vomited as the realization of the situation hit him. He hadn't eaten in nearly two days, but he couldn't gain any appetite to eat. Every time he looked at the food, he thought of the man with the sliced open stomach and watching him be tossed over Kael's shoulder like he was a sack of flour.

The only thing he could do was to run water into the tub to try and get all the blood out of it. He couldn't bring himself to erase the man's dying message off of the mirror, though. Finally, after eating a little of the food that had been brought for him, Negi curled up in the bed's comforters and began to realize just how isolated he was. Where he was now, there was no Asuna, there was no Chamo, no Konoka, no Setsuna, no Nodoka, no Yue, no anyone. There was just silence and the sight of one man's dying message scribbled in his own blood; and the more Negi read the message the more that he understood the meaning behind it.


End file.
